Apparatus for applying rubber soles.



. W. E. HEMENOVER.

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING RUBBER SOLES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-24.1913.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

'WIFNESSES:

T, in )1. 4

A TTORNE Y shar s aw -W WWCE WILLIAM E. nnnnnovnn, or nxnou, onto,- nssrenon to THE B. r. GOODRICH COMPANY, or new roux, n. Y., A conrona'rrou or new YORK.

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING RUBBER SOLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented new. to, rain.

Application filed January 24}, 1913. Serial No. 744 017.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. Humanovnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron,- in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for.

usual method of attaching the unvulcanized sole to the bottom of a rubber shoe consists in applying pressure to the solo by means of a hand roller which is worked back and forth several times until the whole surface has been rolled. This operation requires considerable strength, skill and time, and

the results are not always uniform.

Itis the object of my invention to provide an apparatus to take the place of the handmethod, and in solving this problem, I have had in view the exertion of an adequate pressure not only over the whole under surface, but also at the edges of the sole, particularly on roll-edge or semi-roll edge soles, meaning those which are more or less turned up at the edges for the purpose of afi'ording Strength and added resistance to wear. 7

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a sole-applying apparatus constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 represents a transverse section on a larger scale. Fig. 41' represents an enlarged plan, and Fig. 5 a horizontal section of the controlling valve for the. alrpressure chamber. 'Fig. 6 represents a per-- spective view, ofja flem'ble pad adapted to be interposed between the diaphragm and sole.

In the drawings 10 is a last, 11 an unrulcanized shoe body built thereon, and- 12 an unvulcanized sole applied to the body, said sole in the present illustration having a projecting margin which, in'the completed shoe,

is turned or rolled up around the lower part of the upper.

The sole-applying apparatus here shown (which of course could be variously modified in its construction without departing from my invention.) comprises a frame 13,- formed with a dish-like portion 14, whose interior constitutes a compressed-air chamber 15. The cover or top wall of this chamber is formed by a flexible diaphragm 16 which may be made of rubber with an internal strengthening ply or layer 17 of textile fabric. After trying various kinds of reinforcement I find that a knitted fabric is preferable for the purposebecause its stretchis the same in all directions, allowing uniform pressure on the sole. The edges of the diaphragm are clamped between the frame 10 and a ring 18 suitably extended inwardly and upwardly to support the marginal portions of the diaphragm when inflated and thus prevent undue strain on the airtight joint between it and the frame. Preferably the diaphragm, when collapsed, is not perfectly flat, but has considerable fullness enabling it more readily to en'wrap the shoe as hereinafter described. .The diaphragm is substantially equivalent to half of a rubber bag, which might be substituted for the purpose of this invention, although Iprefer the construction shown as being cheaper, more durable, and more easily manipulated.

19 is a hold-down bar or lever pivoted at 20 to the frame, and provided with a toprest 21 and an adjustable toe-rest .22 for .its fulcrum, tends to keep said lever in latch-v ing engagement with the bar 19.

Go'mpressed air is supplied to the chamber- 15 through a pipe 29 and a branch pipe 3(), and is exhausted through the latter and a pipe 31, there being a vaive-casingSQ at the junction of said pipes, and in said casing a plug valve 33 provided with a handle 34. An extension or toe 35 on said handle is adapted to engage the lower arm of lever 24, and cause the latter to release the holddown lever 19 and permit the removal of the shoe, when said handle has been placed in the position shown by full lines in Fig. 4

length and width than the shoe, adapted to ,be placed between the latter and the diaphragm 16, and composed of a suitably flexible and ductile material, preferably. vulcanized rubber. A number of these pads of various sizes and shapes of instep-portion 37, (or without Such portion in the case of a flat-sole shoe) may be provided for different styles of shoes.

In the operation of this apparatus, a last with the unvulcanized rubber shoe body therein has applied to it the unvulcanized sole 12, .and is then clamped down against the pad 36 by the hold-down bar 19, the under side of diaphragm 16 resting on the bottom of chamber 15. Compressed air is admitted to said chamber through the valve 33 and its pressure causes the diaphragm .16 and interposed pad 36 to be wrapped around and pressedtightly against the lower parts of the shoe,=thereby exerting an evenly distributed pressure on all parts of the sole,

which causes the latter to adhere closely to the shoe body. During the distention of the diaphragm, the portions thereof which rise alongside of the shoe adjacent to the sides and ends of the latter exert a wiping and stretching action on the upturning marginal parts of the pad 36, which latter, by reason of its ductility, the frictional pull of the diaphragm on its outer surface, and the frictional drag on its inner surfacein contact with the sole, effectively turns and presses the extreme edges of the sole around and in intimate contact with the lower portions of the shoe-upper, and produces a permanent adhesion which may thereafter be perfected by the vulcanizing process. The upward wiping and turning action exerted by the diaphragm in conjunction with the ad is particularly beneficial in applying rol -edge or semi-rolledge soles. With ordinary flush-edge soles the pad may be omitted, but even in applying soles of this character the pad, or some filler equivalent to the raised instep portion 37, may be found desirable, especially on shoes having a high instep. After the pressure has been left on for a short time, the valve 33 is turned toexhalls a last-support, a fluid-pressure chamber opposed thereto and having a flexible walladapted to press against the sole of the lasted shoe, said wall' being sufficiently full and elastic to substantially enwrap the sides as well as the bottom of the shoe, a relatively thin, flexible and elastic pad overlying said wall and conformable to the bottom and sides of the shoe, and means for inflating and discharging said chamber, the wall, during its distention, being adapted to turn the margins of the pad around the edges and up the sides of the shoe with a wiping and roll ing action capable of aflixing the margins of a roll-edge or semi-roll edge rubber sole.

2. A sole-applying apparatus comprising a stationary chamber whose top wall is a flexible diaphragm conformable to the lower portion of a lasted shoe placed bottom-side down thereon, means for charging and discharging said chamber, and a last-clamp formed as .a lever which is mounted on a pivot at one end and adapted to be turned thereon to raise and lower it and thereby release or confine the last; said clamp being provided with last-engaging means onits intermediate portion, and retaining means at the opposite end of said clamp, adapted to hold the latter in clamping position.

3. A sole applying apparatus comprising a fluid pressure chamber having a flexible sole-pressing wall, a device for holding a last with its bottom part in cooperative relation with said wall, means for charging and discharging said chamber, a controller for said means. and mechanism operated by said controller and controlling the last-holding device.

4'. A sole-applying apparatus comprising a fluid-pressure chamber having aflexible solepressing wall, a last clamp, a valve for discharging said chamber, a member for operatiug-sald valve, and locking means for said clamp, adapted to be unlocked by the valye-openlng movement of said operatingmember.

5. A sole-applying apparatus comprising a fluid-pressure chamber having a flexible sole-pressing wall, a pivoted last-clamp, a

spring-projected latch for holding the latter 1n clamping position, a valve for charging and dischargingsaid chamber, and means connected with said valve for retracting said latch at the limit of the discharging movement of the valve.

6. Asole-applying apparatus comprising a fluid-pressure chamber having a flexible Wall composed of rubber. with a reinforcement of knitted fabric, said wall being suffi clently fun and elastic to substantially enmeoeea wrap the sides as well as the bottom of the shoe in operative relation to said Wall.

7 A sole-applying apparatus comprising a fluid-pressureChamber having a rigid portion, a flexible diaphragm secured thereto and composed of rubber provided with a reinforcing ply of knitted fabric, said diaphragm being suficiently full and elastic to substantially enwrap the sides as Well as the bottom of the shoe, means for charging and discharging said chamber, and means for holding a lastedshoe in operative relation to said flexible diaphragm.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, ,this 20 day of January, 1913.

WILLIAM-E. HEMENOVER. Witnesses:

WALTER K. MEANS, I N. N. 

